Minnesota marijuana: Red Lake Nation dispensary to sell recreational cannabis on Aug. 1

Tribal marijuana dispensaries

State licensing for retail cannabis sales are probably still at least 18 months away, but Gov. Tim Walz tells FO( 9 that legal sales could come a lot sooner within state boundaries.

RED LAKE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A dispensary in Red Lake Nation will likely be the first business selling recreational marijuana the first day it's legal in Minnesota.

NativeCare, a medical cannabis dispensary, announced on Wednesday it will start selling recreational marijuana to adults 21 and older on Aug. 1.

While possessing, growing, and consuming marijuana will be legal on Aug. 1, other locations aren’t expected to start selling marijuana as officials create a dispensary licensing system. Gov. Tim Walz previously told FOX 9 it’s estimated the first cannabis retail license likely won’t go active until January 2025.

The gap leaves a big delay between legal consumption and legal sales. But, tribal nations could fill the gap and Walz said it’s quite possible tribal entities will beat Minnesota companies into the retail marketplace.

"My hope is to see them thrive in this industry," Gov. Walz said.

NativeCare is located in northern Minnesota, about 250 miles from the Twin Cities. To learn more about the dispensary, visit its website here.